Staff Reporter
LAHORE: The year 2022 was filled with a mix of bad and good memories. On the bright side, many people were able to reunite with loved ones following a difficult year of quarantine. In addition, there were many significant achievements and milestones reached in several fields, such as technological advancement and scientific research. However, 2022 also brought its share of hardships and challenges.
Political tensions, natural disasters, and ongoing health problems continued to affect people around the world. Overall, the last year was a year of both triumph and tragedy, with moments of happiness and grief interwoven throughout 2022.
The year started with the awful news that at least twenty-three tourists, mostly families, tragically froze to death after being stuck in their vehicles for hours due to snowstorms and no serious rescue efforts in Murree Hills on Jan 7, 2022.
Politics, disasters and wars in 2022
The tourists were reported to have passed away because aid couldn’t reach them in time. It seemed as if no one even knew they were stuck under many feet of thick snow. Eyewitnesses, media, and survivors alleged the administration’s ulterior motives and the greed of the local business leaders for the sad tragedy. Another major news that made headlines worldwide was the Russian attack on Ukraine.
During the period, Pakistan’s then-Prime Minister Imran Khan arrived in Russia. Russian troops attacked Ukraine on February 24, which was dubbed the major attack by one country against another in Europe since World War II.
The heart-wrenching murder of 27-year-old Noor Mukadam by Zahir Jaffer in Pakistan’s capital Islamabad upscale neighborhood on July 20, sent shockwaves countrywide. The incident sparked countrywide anger and calls for justice, resulting in a successful trial and finally conviction of her murderer. It was a sigh of relief for millions in Pakistan to see Jaffer and his facilitators convicted and penalized.
In a historic first for Pakistan, a no-confidence motion was passed against the former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan on April 10. Imran Khan also led his party’s first long march of the year on May 25, calling for the dissolution of assemblies and a date for a new election in the country.
On Sept 8, UK’s Queen Elizabeth dies at Balmoral Castle in Scotland. She was Britain’s longest monarch, and her death triggers the start of a 10-day mourning in the UK. Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also attended her State funeral at Westminster Abbey.
Chaotic scenes also broke out during PTI’s long march on Nov 3 following gunshots were fired at former prime minister Imran Khan in Wazirabad. Imran Khan was injured in the attack.
In Pakistan, General Asim Munir took over the military’s command following former Chief of Army Staff General (retd) Qamar Javed Bajwa’s retirement on November 29 of this year. It was one of the major news of the year in the South Asian country.
Sports in 2022
Lahore Qalandars’ long dearth ends with Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2022 as Shaheen Shah Afridi led team won the final match of the PSL last February.
Pakistan also witnessed the worst floods in history from mid-June to October. Floods have killed more than 1,700 people while at least 2 million became homeless. Floods affect 33 million people countrywide.
Despite several challenges, Pakistan was fortunate to advance to the final of the T20 World Cup, giving cricket fans hope for a repeat of its 1992 World Cup win due to some similarities between the two mega-events. The cricket fans remained glued to their TV screens until the end when the English cricket team ultimately defeated Pakistan.
Lionel Messi crowned his glittering career with a win in the FIFA World Cup on Dec 18 as his country beat France on penalties in the final match.
Football fans in Lyari, Pakistan were ecstatic following Argentina defeated France in the final of the World Cup in Qatar.
Pele, the magical Brazilian star who rose from barefoot poverty to become one of the best-known athletes in football history, passed away at 82 on December 29.
